Safety voltage detector



March 14, 1950 A. E. WEST SAFETY VOLTAGE DETECTOR 5 Sheets--SheekI 1 Filed May 8, 1945 lill/nfl.

INVENTOR. /Hber E. Wes

ATTORNEYS March 14, 1950 A. E. WEST SAFETY VOLTAGE DETECTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 8. 1945 NNUU.

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INVENTOR. A/ber E. Wes

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ATTOQNEYS March 14, 1950 A. E. WEST SAFETY VOLTAGE DETECTOR s sheets-sheet 5 Filed May 8, 1945 INVENTOR. /ber E. Wes

MEQ/fw v ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

An object of my invention is to provide a safety voltage detector in which the line wire or other live contacts can be checked to see whether a -current at a high voltage is passing therethrough before the lineman starts his work. The device is portable and comprises one, two or three units, depen-ding upon the nature of the checking to be accomplished.

A further object of my invention is toprovide a device of the type described which has novel indicating means for determining whether a current is flowing through the conductor to be checked. The indicating means can .be a neon or other gas lamp, a filament lamp or a meter. The device is designed to check current at voltage from 1000 up to 15,000 volts.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described in which the current flowing through the device is insulated from the .outer surfaces of the device so that it cannot reach the operator. Any creepage current flowing along the outer or inner surfaces of the device passes to a grounded member before it can reach the operator. This arrangement permits the device to be used in rainy weather with safety. I also provide barriers to prevent any creepage current from flowing down the inside of the device .below a predetermined point.

The device is simple in construction and is readily portable by a linesman from place to place.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through my device, portions being shown in elevation;

Figure 2 shows a modied form of the invention with parts being shown in section and other parts in elevation;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a vertical section through still another modied form of the device, the portions being shown in elevation.

While I have shown only the preferred forms of my invention, it should be understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

In carrying out my invention, I will first describe the form shown in Figure 1. This form comprises a main staff indicated generally at A and an auxiliary stair indicated generally at B. The staff A comprises a tubular member I made out of an insulating material and carrying an electric terminal 2 that is preferably made of brass or copper and is cadmium plated. A pin 3 connects the terminal to the tube and a reinforcing sleeved is also secured in place by the pin and encircles the upper end of the tube I.

An insulating shoulder 5 is mounted on the tube I and is held in place by collars or sleeves 6 and 1. A petticoat insulator 8 is also mounted on the tube I and abuts the collar or sleeve l. Another collar 9 bears against the underside of the petticoat insulator and holds it in place.

Still further down on the main staff tube I, I mount an upper base member I0 and a lower base member II, The lower base member has two cylindrical casings I2 and I3 that telescope within two cylindrical casing-s I4 and I5 carried by the upper base I0. The lower base II has an opening I6 that registers with the casing I2 and a Lucite disc I'I closes the top of the opening I6 and is held in place by a bre disc I8. The disc I8 has an opening I9 therein for receiving a lamp receiving casing 20. Near the lower end of the lamp casing I mount a second Lucite disc 2I and above the disc I mount a neon or other gas lamp 22 or filament lamp. The lamp is supported by a lamp base 23 that has prongs extending from the lamp base into a socket 24. The socket has terminals 25 and 26. y

The terminals are` removably received in a socket 21 and wires 28 and 29 lead from the socket forl apurpose' presently to be described. The socket 2'I is secured to a disc 30 and an insulating sleeve 3| covers a portion of the lamp tube 20. The disc 30 is secured to a larger disc 32 which in turn is spaced from a disc 33 by a ring 33a. This construction provides la watertig-ht seal for the lamp and the insulation prevents any current passing to the lamp from escaping.

The casing I3 encloses a connection housing 34. In this connection housing are placed the wires 28 and 29 and they are connected to other wires in a manner hereinafter described. An insulator 35 is placed within the tube and stops any creepage of electricity along the interior surface of the tube. A sleeve 36 is mounted on the outside of the tube I and holds the lower base II in position on the staff A.

I provide novel means for grounding any electricity that might creep along the exterior surface of the device or along the interior surface and get past the barrier 35. A shoulder 31 is mounted on the tube I and is held in place -by a sleeve 38. A metallic ring or ground collar 39 is placed under the shoulder 31 and is connected to an interior metal ring 40 by a rivet 4I. A second shoulder 42 is placed under the outer ground collar 39 and is held in place by a sleeve 43. The tube I terminates at an end 44 and a removable extension handle 45 may be telescoped over the tube to increase its length as desired.

The auxiliary staff B is identical in construction with the main staff A and where the parts are identical, like reference numeralswillbe-.used and further description need not be given. -VI' do not show the lamp 22 and the connection housing 34 in the auxiliary staif B. I .do show a connection housing 46 placed Within'thetube I and above the electric barrier 35 for the .auxiliary staff B. The terminal 2 of the auxiliary staff has a .hook.4'I removably secured thereto. .Themain staff A-.has a resistor 48 inelectrical connection with the terminal 2 and the-sameis true forv the auxiliary staff B. Each resistor is composed of two units of 10 megohms each. YAwire. 49.1eads from the resistor 48 of the mainv staffto the vconnection housing 34and. this wire is connected to the Awire 28 that leads to` the. lamp 22. The wire 29 leading. from thelamp is connected to a wire 50 in the connection housingY 34 and thewire 50 is connected .toa wire 5 IA in the auxiliary staff B in the connection housing 46. Reinforcing rubber sleeves 52 are mounted on the wire 50 where these wire portionsenter the base I I and the base 53 'of the auxiliary stai. The wire5l is connectedto the resistor 48 in the auxiliary staff and this completes the circuit from theA terminal. 2 of the-main staff to the hook 41.01 the auxiliaryl stai.

It is possible` to electrically connectthe two staffs A and B byclips 54 that are snapped onto the rings 39 of the staffs and these clips are electrically interconnected by a wire 55. Either staff may be grounded and I haveshown the auxiliary stai B with a clip 56 snapped onto the collarl39, the clip being connected toa wire 51 thatv extends to ground'58.

In using this form of the device, the hook 4'lis connected to the .wire to be checked and then the terminal 2 of the main staff 'A' is pressed against a terminal or other contacting member `that will complete the circuit through the device should' the wire to which thehook is connected be a' live one. The indicator lamp 22 willglow and indicate the current. A voltmeter or a ilament lamp could be used as the indicator. The resistors 48 may be of any size desired. The resistors reduce the current flow through the'deviceto a 'fraction of a milliampere, which means that the current iiowing through the wire 50 and lamp 22 is. so smallas not to cause any damage to the operator.

The device shown in Figure l is designed to check line voltages up to 15,000 volts. Where the line voltages up to 5000 are to be checked, vthe resistors 48 may be one-third as high as theones mentioned. The shoulder 5 and the petticoat'iinis used only for checking a 5000 volt current. When the larger current vis being tested, the petticoat insulator 8 will keep the portion of the tube I and the collar 9 disposed withinthe insulator, dryand thereforeany,surfacecreepage of electricity due to dampnesswill be, preventedfrom moving on past the insulatorz. Theldevice `can therefore be used in stormyand rainy. Weather.

. The. operatory after .making electricalconnection with the wire to be tested, glances into the opening I6 and if there is a current flowing in the wire, the glow from the lamp 22 can be seen. The operator uses the device above his head and it is an easy matter for him to glance upwardly into the opening I6 to see whether the lamp is illuminated. The extension handles 45 give greater length to the device when the operator wants a greater distance or more safety. The wire and thejgroundwire 51 are used only in wet weather.

In Figure 2 I show two staffs C and D, each of t:which are similar to the stai B. Like parts will therefore bev given the same reference numerals except that the letter a will be added after each numeralsoused. It is best to describe the tester sulator 8 may be dispensed withwhen4 the device sition or vice versa.

indicated generally at E before describing the operation of'the device shown in Figure 2 which comprises the tester and the two staffs C and D. The tester has an inside casing 59 in which a resistor Vcasing .ismounted .Resistors 6I.and 62 Aare `placed-within the casing and. electrically connectedtogether at,63. -The top of the resistor .casing -60 is spacedV froml an. insulating partition 64 and. the bottom of the resistor casing is spaced from theA lower` endof. the casing 59.50 that propver insulation willbe provided. .An air space separates the resistors 6I and 62 from the casing 60 and a second air space separatesthe resistor casing ,from the casing. 5,9. A third, air-space separates the casing 59 from, a casing v65 and the. latter casing is enclosed in .a bre outer cylinder', 66 forprotection. 'I'hellower endof the casing carries a fibre disc.61 ,on-. which a second disc, G8

. lrests vand this disc' hasta `felt washer 69 placed thereon and the felt washer` is. covered by a disc 10.

At 4the upper end of the' testerE I place a partition'II that has openings for wiresto pass therethrough. Asecond partition 'I2 is connected to the'rst by a sectional bolt13 that has an insulating tube 'I4 interconnecting ,the two sections. A filament lamp' 'I5 is monntedabove the partition I I, and ,a Lucite disc 16 is placed aboveV the lamp. A cover TI ,carriesa Lucitejdiscl.. that is inline with the disc'76 so'thatlight rays from vthe lamp can be seen.

A switch arm 79' rocks a single pole double break switch `80 for ,purposes hereinafter. described. The cover "I'Ihas an opening 3i that has a` Lucite disc 82"therein. 'It will be noted that the partition 'I2 hasy a white spot 83 ,that may be seen throughthe' opening 8 I, when the switch arm ,'I9 is inclosed position. A swinging of. the switch arm into'open positionwill swing'it sov as to cover the white spotI 83. The-switch arm has` a red portionfwhich `may be viewed through the opening 8I vand 'the-operator will know that when this red portion is visible,.both.of the resistors'l and 62 are connected'inr series. The partition 12 has a recess 84 for'receivinga pin84a, carried by the covensee Figure'. V 'I.he"cover when in closed position causes this pinto be received in the opening 84 and this pin .will prevent accidental swinging of the switch arm 'I9 from closed to open po- A strap 85 supports the tester'E.

When using this form of, device., thehook 47a. ofthe stalf C is placed over,a ,Wireor Contact and thecurrentwillpass through a fuse d8a` and `then by .means .ofa, Wire 86v tov alconnection .housing 81. :A wire 88..leads from the .connectionhousing to the 1amp..15.,in.the tester-E. =A.ftvire 239.41011- nects the lamp 'I5 with the top resistor 9i. -A wire;-90-leads from theother end of vthe resistor 6| to one pole 9| of the switch 00. Another wire` 92 leads from the other pole of the switch to a connection housing 93. One end oi the lower resistor 62 has a wire 94 leading to the connectionhousing 93. A wire 95 that connects with the wires 92 and 93 leads to a connection housing 40a in the staff D. A wire Ela is connected to the wire 95 and to a fuse 48a which in turn is connected to the terminal 2a of the staff When the hook 41a is connected to the live wire or contact and the terminal 2a of the staff D connected to another portion which will close a circuit in case a current is flowing through the live wire, the lamp 1-5 will glow and indicate that such current is flowing in the live wire being tested. When 15,000 volts are being tested both resistors and 62 are connected in series by the opening of the switch 80 and this will show the red portion of the switch arm 19 in the opening 8|.

When only 5000 volts are to be tested, the switch arm 19 is swung into closed position, which will short out the resistor 62. The staiTs C and D may be connected by the wire 55a in the manner as the stais A and B. When the tester E is set for 5000 volts, if the voltage of the current is two or three thousand volts, the indicator lamp 15 will glow dimly. When four to five thousand volts pass through the indicator lamp, it will light up bright. In this way the amount of light given oi by the lamp will indicate the strength of the voltage of the current flowing through the wire.

The same thing will apply When the switch 19 is set for 15,000 volts. When the voltage is between 6000 to 9000, the indicator lamp will glow dimly and when the voltage is between 10,000 to 15,000 volts, the lamp will burn brightly, This applies only when a filament type lamp is used.

In Figure 4 I show a one-piece tester indicated generally at F. This tester has a central tubular member 96 which carries an arm 91 at the ends of which are mounted two posts 98 and 99. Each post has an adjustable contact |00 and |0| at its top and resistors |02 and |03 are mounted in each post. The resistors are connected to the adjustable contacts. A wire |04 leads from the resistor |02 to a connection housing |05 and a wire leads from the housing to a meter |06. The meter may be read through an opening |01 in a base |08. Another wire leads from the meter back to the connection housing and is connected by a wire |09 to the resistor |03 mounted in the post 99.

This form of the device is used for testing the phasing of hot lines at section switches and the like. The entire device is made of insulating material and the operator can bring the adjustable contacts |00 and |0| into electrical connection with the wires or other electrical points to be checked. If any current is iiowing through the wires, the meter |06 or indicator lamp. whichever is used, will indicate the fact and show the amount of current flowing. Each post is provided with a shoulder ||0 and a petticoat insulator In the form of the device shown in Figure 4, a neon indicator lamp, or a filament indicator lamp may be used in place of the meter |06. Where the filament indicator lamp is used, it will shine dimly or brightly according to the Voltage passing therethrough as described in the tester E hereinbefore. Where the meter |06 is used, it will indicate from 1000 to 5000 volts or from 1000 to 15,000 volts a's the case may be. It is obvious that all of the devices could be used for increased voltages by adding more petticoat insulators, and

generally enlarging the design.

The adjustable contacts |00 and |0| have collars |00a and |0|av that limit the movement of the contacts toward each other so that the inner ends are prevented from contacting each other and forming a short circuit path.

The staif F has the same ground connection as in the other forms and like reference numerals have been applied which are similar to those used in the form illustrated in Figure 2. The meter |00v has a ,Lucite disc placed between it and the opening |01. Barriers ||2 and ||3 are lplaced in the sta F to prevent internal current creepage.

I claim:

1. A portable safety high voltage `detector comprising a ipair of hollow staffs made of insulating material and having electrical contact terminals at their upper ends, a resistor mounted in at least one of the stals and being electrically connected to both terminals, electric current indicating means carried by one of the staffs and connected f in series with the resistor and terminals so that a harmless low voltage current will flow through the electric current indicating means, a petticoat insulator mounted on the outer surface of each staff between the terminal and the opposite end of the staff for preventing the creeping of high voltage electric current beyond the insulator when the detector is used in wet weather, an electric barrier disc extending across the hollow portion of each staff and being placed below the resistor f in the staff housing the resistor, a conductor ring disposed-Within each hollow staff and below the electric barrier, a ground collar placed on the outer surface of each staff at the same place thereon as the conductor ring and being electrically connected thereto, removable electrical current conducting means extending between the ground collars, and a ground connection leading from one of the collars for carrying away any high Voltage currents that might creep along the inner or outer surfaces of the staffs, the staffs having hand grip portions disposed below the ground collars.

2. A portable safety high voltage detector comprising a pair of hollow stas made of insulating material and having electrical contact terminals at their upper ends, a resistor mounted in at least one of the stals and being electrically connected to both terminals, electric current indicating means carried by one of the stais and connected in series with the resistor and terminals so that a harmless low voltage current will flow through the electric current indicating means, a lpetticoat insulator mounted on the outer surface of each staff between the terminal and the opposite end of the staff for preventing the creeping of high voltage electric current beyond the insulator when the detector is used in wet weather, an electric barrier disc extending across the hollow portion of each stafl and being placed below the resistor in the staff housing the resistor, a conductor ring disposed Within each hollow staff and below the electric barrier, a ground collar placed on the outer surface of each staff at the same place thereon as the conductor ring and being electrically connected thereto, removable electrical current conducting means extending between the ground collars, and a ground connection leading from one of the collars for carrying away any high voltage currents that might creep along the inner or outer surfaces of the stais, the stais 

